Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

• The Many Worlds Theory of Quantum Mechanics | David Wallace

  Philosopher of physics David Wallace breaks down the Everett (Many-Worlds) interpretation of quantum mechanics in today's episode. We discuss the big misconceptions in physics and explore probability, emergence, and personal identity across multiple worlds. Wallace also touches on the Born Rule, the direction of time, and why consciousness may not be as mysterious as it seems. This is a mind-bending tour through the foundations of reality. Enjoy. Thank you. Huel: Try Huel with 15% OFF + Free Gift for New Customers today using my code theoriesofeverything at https://huel.com/theoriesofeverything . Fuel your best performance with Huel today! As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe David Wallace links: •⁠ ⁠The Emergent Multiverse (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198707541 •⁠ ⁠David Wallace’s published papers: https://philpeople.org/profiles/david-wallace/publications •⁠ ⁠Stating Structural Realism (paper): https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/20048/1/semantic.pdf •⁠ ⁠David’s reading resources: https://sites.pitt.edu/~dmw121/resources.html •⁠ ⁠The Quantization of Gravity (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/0004005 •⁠ ⁠Ted Jacobson discusses entropy on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mhctWlXyV8 •⁠ ⁠Curt debunks the “all possible paths” myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY3ZtgYis0 •⁠ ⁠Julian Barbour discusses time on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-bImnQ9cmw •⁠ ⁠TOE’s String Theory Iceberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4PdPnQuwjY •⁠ ⁠Bryce DeWitt’s published papers: https://journals.aps.org/search/results?clauses=%5B%7B%22operator%22%3A%22AND%22%2C%22field%22%3A%22author%22%2C%22value%22%3A%22Bryce+S+DeWitt%22%7D%5D •⁠ ⁠Carlo Rovelli discusses loop quantum gravity on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF4SAketEHY •⁠ ⁠Avshalom Elitzur discusses spacetime on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWRAaimQT1E •⁠ ⁠Sean Carroll discusses the physics community on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AoRxtYZrZo •⁠ ⁠Ruth Kastner discusses retrocausality on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BsHh3_vCMQ •⁠ ⁠Simon Saunders’s talk on Many Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gM-sgmCUik •⁠ ⁠Jacob Barandes discusses quantum mechanics on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oWip00iXbo •⁠ ⁠Jacob Barandes discusses philosophy in physics on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaS1usLeXQM Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 Timestamps: 00:00 Misconceptions About Physics 01:27 Simplicity in Physics 4:48 Understanding Quantum Mechanics 7:27 Mysteries of Large-Scale Physics 9:53 The Nature of Time 13:19 Boundary Conditions in Physics 15:04 Models of Physics 16:56 Canonical vs Covariant Quantization 21:10 Theories of Gravity 28:22 Everettian Quantum Mechanics 30:11 Misconceptions in Many Worlds Theory 47:52 Decision Theory in Quantum Mechanics 57:58 The Deutsch-Wallace Theorem 1:14:47 The Nature of Fundamental Physics 1:18:40 Personal Identity in Many Worlds 1:27:14 Exploring Emergence 1:33:19 Thoughts on Consciousness 1:35:09 Disagreements with David Deutsch 1:39:18 Understanding Real Patterns 1:54:02 The Relevance-Limiting Thesis 2:00:54 Advice for Young Researchers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:19:33
• The AI Math That Left Number Theorists Speechless

  Head on over to https://cell.ver.so/TOE and use coupon code TOE at checkout to save 15% on your first order. Get ready to witness a turning point in mathematical history: in this episode, we dive into the AI breakthroughs that stunned number theorists worldwide. Join us as Professor Yang-Hue Hi discusses the murmuration conjecture, shows how DeepMind, OpenAI, and EpochAI are rewriting the rules of pure math, and reveals what happens when machines start making research-level discoveries faster than any human could. AI is taking us beyond proof straight into the future of discovery. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to a New Paradigm 01:34 The Changing Landscape of Research 03:30 Categories of Machine Learning in Mathematics 06:53 Researchers: Birds vs. Hedgehogs 09:36 Personal Experiences with AI in Research 11:44 The Future Role of Academics 14:08 Presentation on the AI Mathematician 16:14 The Role of Intuition in Discovery 18:00 AI's Assistance in Vague Problem Solving 18:48 Newton and AI: A Historical Perspective 20:59 Literature Processing with AI 24:34 Acknowledging Modern Mathematicians 26:54 The Influence of Data on Mathematical Discovery 30:22 The Riemann Hypothesis and Its Implications 31:55 The BST Conjecture and Data Evolution 33:29 Collaborations and AI Limitations 36:04 The Future of Mathematics and AI 38:31 Image Processing and Mathematical Intuition 41:57 Visual Thinking in Mathematics 49:24 AI-Assisted Discovery in Mathematics 51:34 The Murmuration Conjecture and AI Interaction 57:05 Hierarchies of Difficulty 58:43 The Memoration Breakthrough 1:00:28 Understanding the BSD Conjecture 1:01:45 Diophantine Equations Explained 1:03:39 The Cubic Complexity 1:19:03 Neural Networks and Predictions 1:21:36 Breaking the Birch Test 1:24:44 The BSD Conjecture Clarified 1:26:21 The Role of AI in Discovery 1:30:29 The Memoration Phenomenon 1:32:59 PCA Analysis Insights 1:35:50 The Emergence of Memoration 1:38:35 Conjectures and AI's Role 1:41:29 Generalizing Biases in Mathematics 1:44:55 The Future of AI in Mathematics 1:49:28 The Brave New World of Discovery Links Mentioned: - Topology and Physics (book): https://amzn.to/3ZoneEn - Machine Learning in Pure Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (book): https://amzn.to/4k8SXC6 - The Calabi-Yau Landscape (book): https://amzn.to/43DO7H0 - Yang-Hui’s bio and published papers: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yang-Hui-He - A Triumvirate of AI-Driven Theoretical Discovery (paper): https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.19973 - Edward Frenkel explains the Geometric Langlands Correspondence on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX1tZv_Nv4Y - Stone Duality (Wiki): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_duality - Summer of Math Exposition: https://some.3b1b.co/ - Machine Learning meets Number Theory: The Data Science of Birch–Swinnerton-Dyer (paper): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1911.02008 - The L-functions and modular forms database: https://www.lmfdb.org/ - Epoch AI FrontierMath: https://epoch.ai/frontiermath/the-benchmark - Mathematical Beauty (article): https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematical-beauty-truth-and-proof-in-the-age-of-ai-20250430/ SUPPORT: - Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join - Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal - Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkout/de803625-87d3-4300-ab6d-85d4258834a9 - Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=XUBHNMFXUX5S4 SOCIALS: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt - Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:02:08
• "Explain it to me like I'm five..." okie dokie

  You’ve heard the phrase: “If you can’t explain it to a 5-year-old, you don’t understand it.” But what if that idea is not only false but harmful? In this video, we dismantle one of the most repeated myths in science communication, explore why some truths resist simplification, and reveal what real understanding actually looks like. If you care about learning deeply, or teaching well, this is a must-watch. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Links Mentioned: •⁠ ⁠Algebraic Topology (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521795400 •⁠ ⁠Topology and Geometry (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0387979263 •⁠ ⁠Language isn’t just “low resolution communication” (Substack): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/language-isnt-just-low-resolution •⁠ ⁠Non-analytic smooth function: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-analytic_smooth_function •⁠ ⁠Emily Riehl on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTwvecBthpQ •⁠ ⁠Neil deGrasse Tyson on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhWWlJFwTqs •⁠ ⁠Curt debunking the “all possible paths” myth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcY3ZtgYis0 •⁠ ⁠What does it mean to explore the “ill-defined”? (Substack): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/what-does-it-mean-to-explore-the Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  19:04
• MIT Physicist: These Black Holes Are Older Than the Universe

  In this episode of Theories of Everything, MIT physicist and historian David Kaiser explores primordial black holes which are hypothetical entities that may have formed before stars or atoms. David discusses their potential role in explaining dark matter, their connections to cosmic inflation, and how they might reshape our understanding of the early universe. This conversation connects the realms of quantum theory, cosmology, and the history of physics. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Links Mentioned: •⁠ ⁠David Kaiser's published papers: https://arxiv.org/a/kaiser_d_1.html •⁠ ⁠Bell, J. S. “On the Einstein‐Podolsky‐Rosen paradox” (1964): https://cds.cern.ch/record/111654/files/vol1p195-200_001.pdf •⁠ ⁠“Ultra-High-Energy Neutrinos from Primordial Black Holes” (2025): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19227 •⁠ ⁠“Cosmic Bell Test Using Random Measurement Settings from High-Redshift Quasars” (2018): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1808.05966 •⁠ ⁠“Close Encounters of the Primordial Kind” (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2312.17217 •⁠ ⁠“Primordial Black Holes from Multifield Inflation with Non-minimal Couplings” (2022): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2205.04471 •⁠ ⁠“Testing Bell’s Inequality with Cosmic Photons” (2013): https://arxiv.org/pdf/1310.3288 •⁠ ⁠“Planck Constraints & Gravitational-Wave Forecasts for PBH Dark Matter Seeded by Multifield Inflation” (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2303.02168 •⁠ ⁠“Light Scalar Fields Foster Production of Primordial Black Holes” (2025): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.13251 •⁠ ⁠“Debye Screening of Non-Abelian Plasmas in Curved Spacetimes” (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2309.15385 •⁠ ⁠“Primordial Black Holes with QCD Color Charge” (2023): https://arxiv.org/pdf/2310.16877 •⁠ ⁠A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553380168 •⁠ ⁠In Search of Schrödinger’s Cat – John Gribbin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553342533 •⁠ ⁠How the Hippies Saved Physics – David Kaiser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/039334231X •⁠ ⁠Drawing Theories Apart – David Kaiser: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Y5W2X2 Timestamps: 00:00 – What Are Primordial Black Holes? 01:41 – Could They Be Dark Matter? 05:21 – Kaiser’s Academic Journey 10:56 – Studying Physics and Its History 11:57 – Cosmic Inflation Basics 15:31 – Direct Collapse vs. Stellar Collapse 25:14 – Bell’s Theorem Explained 38:32 – Quasars and the Cosmic Bell Test 43:04 – High-Precision Astronomy 47:38 – Learning Curves & Interdisciplinary Research 48:17 – Scalar Fields and Inflation Models 55:05 – Black Hole Formation from Inflation 58:41 – Black Hole Mass as a Cosmic Clock 1:02:50 – Quark-Gluon Plasma & Color Charge 1:08:46 – Critical Collapse and Mass Spread 1:11:34 – Charged Primordial Black Holes 1:13:54 – Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Implications 1:20:14 – Detecting Black Holes Locally 1:23:51 – Tracking Planetary Wobbles 1:26:04 – Hawking Radiation & Positron Signatures 1:30:06 – Why Track Mars, Not Earth? #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  1:56:14
• Demystifying Gödel's Theorem: What It Actually Says

  Gödel’s incompleteness theorem is one of the most misunderstood ideas in science and philosophy. This video cuts through the hype, correcting major misconceptions from pop-science icons and revealing what Gödel actually proved and what he didn’t. If you think his theorem limits human knowledge, think again. The people referenced are Neil deGrasse Tyson, Veritasium, Michio Kaku, and Deepak Chopra. Correction: Veritasium says "everything" not "anything." My foolish verbal flub is corrected in the captions, and the argumentation remains the same. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/SpotifyTOE Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWIQh9DGG6uhJk8eyIFl1w/join Links Mentioned: •⁠ ⁠Scott Aaronson | How Much Math Is Knowable?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VplMHWSZf5c •⁠ ⁠The Consistency of the Axiom of Choice and of the Generalized Continuum-Hypothesis (paper): https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.24.12.556 •⁠ ⁠The Gettier Problem: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/knowledge-analysis/#GettProb •⁠ ⁠Jennifer Nagel on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWZVMZ9Tm7Q •⁠ ⁠Gödel’s First Incompleteness Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Formally_Undecidable_Propositions_of_Principia_Mathematica_and_Related_Systems •⁠ ⁠Roger Penrose on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGm505TFMbU •⁠ ⁠Curt talks with Penrose for IAI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQM0OtxvZ-Y •⁠ ⁠Bertrand Russell’s Comments: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Russell,_Whitehead_-_Principia_Mathematica,_vol._I,_1910.djvu/84 •⁠ ⁠Gregory Chaitin on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMPnrNL3zsE •⁠ ⁠Chaitin on the ‘Rise and Fall of Academia’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoEuav8G6sY •⁠ ⁠Curt and Neil Tyson Debate Physics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9OkJih3-U •⁠ ⁠Gödel’s Completeness Theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del%27s_completeness_theorem •⁠ ⁠Latham Boyle on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyLeeEFKk04 •⁠ ⁠Gabriele Carcassi on TOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ7CaQX8EI •⁠ ⁠Gabriele Carcassi’s YouTube Channel (Live): https://www.youtube.com/@AssumptionsofPhysicsResearch •⁠ ⁠Robinson Arithmetic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson_arithmetic •⁠ ⁠Algorithmic Information Theory (book): https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521616042 •⁠ ⁠The Paris-Harrington Theorem: https://mathworld.wolfram.com/Paris-HarringtonTheorem.html •⁠ ⁠Curt’s Substack: The Mathematics of Self: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/the-mathematics-of-self-why-you-can •⁠ ⁠The Church-Turing Thesis: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/church-turing/ •⁠ ⁠Curt’s Substack: The Most Profound Theorem in Logic You Haven't Heard Of: https://curtjaimungal.substack.com/p/infinity-its-many-models-and-lowenheim Support TOE on Patreon: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt Discord Invite: https://discord.com/invite/kBcnfNVwqs #science Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  25:00

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